This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Our long-term goal is to develop therapeutics that improve spinal cord function after injury. The objective of this protocol is to determine if levels of macrophage migration inhibitory factor, a highly conserved pro-inflammatory cytokine, are elevated in spinal cord injury (SCI) patients and test the effects of a neutralizing MIF compound on samples from SCI patients in vitro.